Road marker



y 1965 c. B. CRUDGINGTON 3, 2,8 9

ROAD MARKER Filed Aug. 16, 1962 Ill INVENTOR. CLEVELAND B. CRUDGINGTON United States Patent 3,192,889 ROAD R Cleveland B. Crudgington, 495 Kietzke Lane, Reno, Nev; Filed Aug. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 217,324 2 Claims. (Cl. 116-63) The present invention relates to the cone-shaped brightly colored road markers of resilient material, such as rubber or rubber-like plastic, which are employed to mark detours when a road is under construction or when dividing lines or other road signs are freshly painted on the roads. In practical use, these markers are frequently splashed with dirt by passing cars or are pushed over by moving vehicles and thus become soiled. This is not only unsightly but impairs their efiectiveness because it obscures their bright colors and/or any warning inscriptions that may be provided on their surfaces. The markers, therefore, have to be Washed periodically which is cumbersome, costly and time consuming in that it necessitates removal of the markers to a place where they can be washed. As a result thereof the markers are usually not washed often enough to maintain them at peak efficiency in their function to Warn approaching cars of potentially dangerous situations.

It is an object of my invention to provide a road marker of the type referred to, that may readily be kept clean and at peak efiiciency in its function as a warning sign.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and means for reconditioning road markers of the type referred to, with a minimum effort and expense and in a minimum of time.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawing which illustrates'a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a road marker constructed in accordance with my invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a perspective of a component of the marker shown in FIGURE I, viewed from the bottom end thereof.

In accordance with my invention I provide road markers of the type referred to, with replaceable jackets of paper, plastic, fabric, or the like, which may readily be applied and affixed to the markers and which may readily be lifted from the markers and be replaced by fresh ones when they have become soiled. Thus, the road markers may be reconditioned for peak performance in their functions as warning signals at a minimum of cost and with a minimum of effort.

Having first reference to FIGURE 1, the road marker of my invention comprises a truncated hollow cone which may be made of rubber or a resilient plastic so that it will not damage a vehicle that may collide therewith. Said cone is provided with a flat pedestal 12 so that the marker may safely stand in an uprightposition upon the road. Telescoped over said cone 10 is a trunco-conical jacket 14 of paper, plastic, or the like which is of a size and conformation to fit snugly over the cone 10. The outer surface 16 of the jacket may be painted in a bright color such as a bright red, pink or yellow, and

To hold the jacket safely upon the cone in spite of wind, 7

and to prevent it fiom coming off if the marker is pushed over by collision with a moving vehicle, I provide a strip or strips of pressure responsive adhesive upon the inner surface 20 of the cone as shown at 22 in FIGURES 1 and 2. Before use of the jacket, these strips may be covered by tapes indicated at 24 in FIGURE 2,to maintain them in effective condition. I prefer to arrange the strip of adhesive in the form of a loop that lies in a slanting plane relative to the plane'defined by the bottom edge of the jacket (FIGURES 1 and 2). This makes it easier to slip the jacket into its proper position upon the cone from a moving vehicle after the cover tape 24 has been removed from the strip 22. In placing a jacket of the type described upon a cone 10 from a slowly moving servicing vehicle, its center axis is usually somewhat tilted relative to the center axis of the cone in the initial phase of the operation, and this may cause the strip of glue 22 to stick to the cone before the jacket has reached its proper position wherein it surrounds the cone in coaxial alignment therewith. By tilting the jacket over the cone from the side where the strip of adhesive recedes from the edge of the cone, it may readily be made to drop fully over the cone onto the pedestal 12 thereof.

The adhesive of strip 24 should be so chosen that by the time a jacket on a cone 10 has become splashed or soiled, it has lost most of its effectiveness. To recondition the road marker, it is therefore only necessary for a workman to grip the jacket 14 and lift or tear it from the cone 10, and then place a fresh jacket upon the cone,

whereupon the marker is as clean and bright and as clearly discernible as if it were new; and its reconditioning requires no special skill, no washing equipment, and may be performed without moving the. marker from its plac of use.

I claim:

1. A road marker comprising a hollow cone of rubber having a pedestal, and loosely telescoped over said cone a tmnco-conical jacket of paper having a brightly painted. outer surface and on its inner surface a strip of adhesive in the form of a loop that is tilted relativeto the plane defined by the bottom edge of said jacket.

2. For use upon road markers. of the type formedby a cone and a pedestal, a jacket in the form of a truncated cone having a brightly colored outer surface, and on its inner surface an adhesive strip in the form of a loop that is tilted relative to the plane defined by the 7 bottom edge of the jacket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 3,715 1902 Great Britain.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner,

Patented J uly 6, 1965 Boettler 116-63- 

1. A ROAD MARKER COMPRISING A HOLLOW CONE OF RUBBER HAVING A PEDESTAL, AND LOOSELY TELESCOPED OVER SAID CONE A TRUNCO-CONICAL JACKET OF PAPER HAVING A BRIGHTLY PAINTED OUTER SURFACE AND ON ITS INNER SURFACE A STRIP OF ADHESIVE IN THE FORM OF A LOOP THAT IS TILTED RELATIVE TO THE PLANE DEFINED BY THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID JACKET. 